Pratcial 1 - station 4 - spinal cord and spinal tracts Flashcards
What are the 2 regions of the spinal cord?
White matter and gray matter
Where are the ascending and descending fibre tracts of the white matter?
In the ventral, lateral and dorsal funiculi going to and from the brain
What are the different types of sensation transmitted in the ascending tracts?
1 - discriminative touch
2 - pain and temperature
3 - proprioception
What does the discriminative touch modality allow?
Touch, pressure and vibration perception
To read braille or describe shape and texture without seeing it
What is the discriminative touch pathway?
DCML - dorsal column medial lemniscus (contains gracile and cuneate fasciculi)
Crosses from/to cerebral cortex at the medulla
What does the pain and temperature modality allow?
Itch and tickle sensations
What is the pain and temperature pathway?
Spinothalamic tract pathway in the ventrolateral fasciculus
Crosses in the spinal cord
What does the proprioception modality allow?
Muscle stretch, joint position, tendon tension
What is the proprioception pathway?
Located at the lateral edge of the lateral funiculus
Spinocerebellar tract pathway so doesn’t need to cross
What is the main descending pathway?
Corticospinal tract
What is the function of the corticospinal tract?
Regulates voluntary movement
What is the pathway of the corticospinal tract?
Located in the lateral funiculus, decussates at the medulla oblangata
